~~~

FADE IN:

EXT. CITY – Morning

A SERIES OF SHOTS

–a clogged freeway at rush hour.

–a mall parking lot, now empty, rows of space looking for vehicles.

–busy city streets. Buses, taxis.

INT. VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC HOLDING 2 OCCUPANTS (HUSBAND & WIFE) – 7:22AM

–stopped at traffic light waiting to start moving with traffic once again.

–Husband looks in rear view mirror, brushes overly long hair out of eyes and across forehead.

–Husband glances at wife and says in a overly “faux witty” voice

DIALOGUE:

–Husband: “Wow, I could be Justin Bieber with this hair!”

–Wife:  “Wow…you could be Justin Bieber’s dad with that hair…”

INT. VEHICLE

–silence as car pulls away from traffic light and moves closer to downtown

–silence continues…

~~~

“Haircut (A Silent Symphony of Scissors at Age Six” – Theodore & Edgar

Visit Theodore & Edgar on Myspace.

~Smansmith (husband)

So my blogger mates Aaron at Tsururadio and Chris at Culture Bully are taking it to the mat and battling it out today in a mix tape-off!

What it is basically is a friendly (or is it?) comparison of a collection of music assembled together with a pseudo theme of 80′s vs. 90′s (Tsuru vs. Bully).  So who will win?  Will the crane be victorious or will the bully simply be just that, a bully!  Swing on over and place your vote in the comments on their respective blogs sometime today!

Just in case you were wondering, once again, it is:

Tsururadio brings the 1980′s to life! (click to visit and listen to his mix tape)

VS.

Culture Bully reliving the 1990′s! (click to visit and listen to his mix tape)

So head over and listen, download and vote!

To get you pumped up, how about tough as nails METAL!

Domine
“Battle Gods (Of The Universe)” (mp3)
from “Emperor Of The Black Runes”
(Dragonheart)

Buy at Napster
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

~~~
DoomSword
“In the Battlefield” (mp3)
from “Let Battle Commence”
(Dragonheart)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

I also can’t wait till this is all up close and personal when Aaron (Tsuru) & wifey visit Calgary next week (to enjoy the Sled Island Festival and visit Slowcoustic/Culture Bully HQ) and then Chris from Culture Bully looks him in the eye to say either……..”In yo face with your weak sauce mix tape” OR “Good job on the mix tape, it was really good and I admit your crushing jabs and knockout jams and you beat me utterly”….

~Smansmith

Also, if anyone doesn’t know what I look like:

Yes, I turn a year older and as you can see I can still enjoy a bit of internets in my old age!  So wish me well and I hope to have ice cream cake tonight!  I leave you with the most appropriate song I have on my work computer.  I have always liked this cover (and the original is actually more “Slowcoustic” and is also a nice ditty).

“The End’s Not Near (New Year Cover)” – Band of Horses

~Smansmith

p.s.  I trust everyone’s gift is still in the post?

The Mountain Goats were in Calgary last night to “open” for The New Pornographers.  Yeah, open.

So let me start with saying that this isn’t really a review of the 40 minute show (more or less) of John Darnielle & Co.’s first ever visit to Calgary but more of a snippet of my thoughts about it.  The show was pretty darn special, mainly because I adore this band.  There I am biased, I fully admit it.

They played a full range of songs – even a couple of older tracks with full admission from Darnielle of the fact that they have never been here before, so why not?!  It was pretty darn good, some solo stuff…nice.  They sound great live, JD’s voice (with backing from Hughes) is pretty much spot on – he may throw an extra “Hey!” and such here and there, maybe even lose his place but it is all good.  There were classics like “Game Shows Touch Our Lives” and even newer classics like “No Children” and “This Year”, but it was the stand out “Love, Love, Love” that got down to a hush at times that really stole the show (for me).  Despite there not being any of my favourite classics there (from the albums All Hail West Texas and Tallahassee mostly) it was damn fine.

Damn fine for an “opening set”.  Sorry – I am a bit off put by the fact that the arguable indie icon (non-arguable in my opinion) was relegated (?) to the warm up slot for The New Pornographers.  Yes, we are in Canada and yes the Pornos have a brand new album – but still.  Also the fact that the show was at the University of Calgary I am sure swayed it a lot more to the more younger hip indie crowd as opposed to the “older” Mountain Goats fans.  Of which I fall into the latter.  Oh well – The New Pornos are a fine band, just not one that I would bend over backwards for and I think I am (incorrectly) mad at them for making one of my all time favourite bands open the show at 8:00pm and be retired to their tour bus before 9:00pm on show night.  John Darnielle and Peter Hughes didn’t don their suit & tie for that…  ;-)

$0.02

Enjoy a nice little out-take of an unreleased 7″ release from themountingoats.net.

“Adair” – The Mountain Goats, from the Jake & Faye 7″

~Smansmith

p.s.  Thanks to The New Pornographers for giving me the opportunity to see The Mountain Goats, I honestly mean that with no sarcasm at all.  So….bring them back again?

The website is MusicFloss and if you are an independent artist and are looking for a platform to get yourself out there, this site is what you are looking for.

While MySpace is gearing up to simply be “MySpace Music” and numerous additional online distributing efforts around, I am not too familiar with a site that offers quite as much as MusicFloss does.  I mean you have Virb that is good and you have Bandcamp which is great, but this might be that half step up from Bandcamp due to promotional features.  Let’s take a look:

• Upload and sell your songs, individually, part of album, however you want
• Manage your online presence with photos, updates, tour info, videos
• Tracking system behind the scenes for sales, views, plays
• Widgets like the one below to put on your own website (including MySpace)
• Ability to send a link with your music to industry folks and have on their PR database (bloggers & review sites) and have it look pretty darn slick (see basic example)

In complete transparency, I am not working for MusicFloss but I have moved most of my label artists from my own label (Yer Bird Records, thank you very much) to join in this endeavor as I truly believe in it.  While I personally have joined as an Independent Music Label – we actually receive almost all of the revenue from any sales and if you are aware of the cut from the “big online retailers” you will know that this is a huge point of differentiation.   Aaaand if you are a solo unsigned artist it can get even better as you would receive 100% of all sales – you don’t have to worry about anyone’s “cut” of your sales.  You still have to set it all up, but if you are dedicated to your craft, spending an evening uploading/typing up the bio/getting pictures together – than this site is a no brainer.

The site is brand new as of June 1st, 2010 in a “public” sense now but has been in “beta” stages for a little while to get all the artists involved and everything up and running.  It is founded by the good folks over at the IndieMuse music blog (also a great blog for music in its own right) and it is touted as an independent community.  I know in “independent culture” the work community is thrown around quite a bit, but I think it is actually something that MusicFloss is really about.  You don’t even have to sell anything, just be there to get your music heard (this isn’t just a digital outlet, it’s the whole thing – see the breakdown of the benefits).  Remember, most sites are what you make of them, but MusicFloss kinda gives you a bit of a head start.  It is looking very promising and you should swing by for a look around!

~~Example of widgets to embed~~

Buy Ghosts I’ve Met’s music at MusicFloss. Artists earn 100%.

~Smansmith

I hope you readers are also following my other “night job” of running Yer Bird Records …(waits while sound of crickets gets louder…)…as we have been slowly but surely announcing updates on our upcoming compilation CD set for release this Summer.  I had said to myself repeatedly that I would do my best to not cross pollinate with my blogger life here at Slowcoustic – in other words, I have a pseudo financial interest in Yer Bird doing well so it is hard to promote it without feeling like I am pandering to you all to “buy my wares”.  But screw it, its going to be soo good, that as a music blogger I would be remiss in not letting you know!

So the compilation will be called “Folk Music For What Lies Ahead” which is an all encompassing phrase to go with me & my wife now being recent owners of the label and possibly moving the label ahead with the music that we find dear to our ears, the “slow & acoustic” type.  It also has a bit of a secondary meaning in the fact that “folk music” has taken on a wider range in definition the last few years, falling in line with terms such as “indie” and “alternative” did years ago.  Natural progression I guess – so in turn the compilation includes 18 artists that can range quite a bit across the spectrum of music that can be referred in internet circles as “folk”.

Now that the title has been established (yikes, now you know why its another couple of months…) – we think we have the cover art (similar to the great pic above and from a friend of the blog – more on that as it materializes).  I have heard artists lament on cover art and others flippantly put something that might catch a non-fan into picking up a disc or album.   I find I like to have something that I like in general just to start out with.  I think the photos that we will be using are incredible and can be considered art alone, so cover art has been discovered to be a bit overwrought for us…sigh.

Now the music!!!  Again, 18 artists that include a combination of Yer Bird Artists and some others that we just feel represent great music and artists we admire.  All the songs are in and I have been listening constantly for the last 4-6 weeks or so and I try not to be biased, but this collection is going to be fantastic.  There are solo acoustic, gothic folk, country tinged folk, gorgeous indie-pop-folk, bluesy edged tracks and even good old singer songwriter stuff!  All tracks are either unreleased (as of yet), alternate versions or new songs all together, and this deep pool of talent have graciously agreed to donate a track to the project.

So far we have only announced 6 artists because we are dragging it out a bit due to the release being about 2 months away.  So I thought I would update you on the artists so far and make a Saturday playlist out of it – but remember these are not the songs for the compilation, just songs from the artists to remind/ensure you how good it will be.

Yer Bird Records Compilation (with no songs from the actual compilation) Playlist

• Nic Garcia – “Triumph”, from 2005′s The Desperate Ones [Visit Him]
• Lotte Kestner – “Leif Erikson (Interpol Cover)”, from 2008′s China Mountain [Visit Her]
• The Gunshy – “It’s Time I Got Out Of PA”, from 2008′s I Gave Too Much Time To The Wine And Other Collected Eps [Visit Him]
• Sharon Van Etten – “For You”, from 2008′s Because I Was in Love (but check out the version on her self titled as well) [Visit Her]
• Cam Penner – “Thirteen”, from 2009′s Trouble & Mercy [Visit Him]
• The Mountains & The Trees – “Up & Down”, from 2009′s Hop, Skip & A Jump [Visit Him]

There you have it, you are up to speed – check back at Yer Bird Records every Friday for another update on the artists.  I am sure I will have another update here too, so don’t worry!  I am pretty sure we will have some give-aways here on Slowcoustic for it as well, so stayed tuned!

~Smansmith

“Belly of June” – Horse Feathers – from 2010′s “Thistled Spring”.

One of my most anticipated albums of 2010.  Pre Order HERE.

Just sayin’.  Maybe I should actually contact their Label for a review copy….yeah….  ;-)

~Smansmith

Just thought these videos from Edinburgh’s own Withered Hand needed to get posted.  While it takes a bit to get each started they show what I always expected them to be.

I don’t know what it is, possible the upbringing from a kid in Canada never seeing the UK and having to rely on pictures, TV and the internet to formulate an idea of a location.  But this is my idea of Edinburgh.  An idea of the location and the feeling it brings in my head at least.  Again, I don’t know Edinburgh, but I feel like it is strong with an undercurrent of talent for some reason.  Maybe due to myself being a staunch supporter of the blog Song, By Toad for both his taste in music and his great reads/rants plus his support for his local scene (he had a big part of TSM filming in Edinburgh also).  I almost feel like I know something about life in Edinburgh, if only a through a distant window with foggy lensed spectacles.

This is all an exercise in rambling on and a way to say, that I think Withered Hand and these videos are exactly what I thought the Edinburgh envisioned in my head would be.  A bit dreary, real people, lots of stone and real wood structures (not faux-finishes like around here) and really great music.  Regardless of what I think other locations and music are, please take the time to watch Withered Hand below or at The Shoot Music.

~~

~~

Visit Withered Hand:

Visit They Shoot Music:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Just in case here is a mp3 of “Religious Songs” by Withered Hand!

So I don’t have much for you all today in the form of depth to this post but I wanted to still provide you some musical enjoyment.  Practically a Slowcoustic regular, Samuel Stiles has his Bandcamp page up and running and he has some free downloads for all of ya.  He provides some great lamenting tracks and comes highly recommended.  Check out one of the new ones below.

Enjoy the Fridays y’all.  I will also provide a bonus in an absolute fantastic tribute to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy from Stiles’ “A Love Tragedy Album”, see below for a stunner!

“Darkness (Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy Tribute)” – Samuel Stiles

Visit Samuel Stiles on Bandcamp or MySpace and find the whole album “A Love Tragedy” for free download on Rock Proper.

~Smansmith

Day 2 of the music bonanza that is SXSW!  Again, I am not there so this is not a recap of incredible shows seen, amazing artists discovered or the amazing tacos I had for lunch with other festival goers.  Unfortunately.

But alas, the rest of the world goes on, but I wanted to provide the wishlist once again for Slowcoustic if we were to be in Austin.  The below are our suggested shows at SXSW today!

Thursday, March 18th recommendations (evening shows):

~~~

Location: Beauty Bar/Palm Door (401 Sabine St)
Artists: Dawes, Low Anthem, Deer Tick

~~~

Location: Buffalo Billiards (201 E 6th St)
Artist: Efterklang, Midlake

~~~

Location: Cedar Street Courtyard (208 W 4th St)
Artists: Wye Oak, Radar Bros.

~~~

Location: Central Presbyterian Church (200 E 8th St)
Artists: Timber Timbre, Dan Mangan

~~~

Location: Encore Patio (611 Red River St)
Artists: Horse Feathers, These United States

~~~

Location: The Hideout (617 Congress Ave)
Artists: Seabear

~~~

Location: Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room (512 Trinity St)
Artists: The RAA, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

~~~

Location: The Parish (214B E 6th St)
Artists: Joshua James, Greg Laswell, Joe Purdy

~~~

Location: Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River St)
Artists: Pearly Gate Music, The Wooden Birds, Rocky Votolato

~~~

**Location: Soho Lounge (217 E 6th St)**
Artists: The Black Atlantic
**Recommended**

~~~

Location: St David’s Bethell Hall (301 E 8th St)
Artists: Joe Pug, Chris Pureka

~~~

Location: St David’s Historic Sanctuary (301 E 8th St)
Artists: Sharon Van Etten, Anni Rossi, Sarah Jaffe

~~~

Location: Stephen F’s Bar (701 Congress Ave)
Artists: Ruth Moody, Danny Schmidt, The Pines

~~~

WOW, I don’t know what I would do.  Too many shows…it is almost, well, bad because too many shows makes for worthy bands being missed…I guess.

I leave you with the one band I would have on my list and move everyone else around in order to see, The Black Atlantic.  Listen, then please go and see.

“Reverence For Fallen Trees”
I Shall Cross This River”

~Smansmith

As I will not be involved with anything to do with Austin, TX this week I thought I would at least give my recommendations on a daily basis on what I recommend and wish I could see for SXSW (music wise).  And if you are looking for an anti-SXSW diatribe, you will not find it – I am not going, have never been to but hope everyone gets the chance to see a band that they really love and “discover” someone that they will begin to love (music wise…more or less).

Wednesday, March 17th (St. Patty’s day!) recommendations:

~~~

Location: 18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn (500 N IH 35)
Bands: Trespassers William & Brian Borcherdt

~~~

Location: The Ale House (310 E 6th St (Alley Entrance))
Bands: Anais Mitchell & Alina Simone

~~~

Location: Club de Ville (900 Red River St)
Bands: Dawes, Bowerbirds
**Brooklyn Vegan Show**

~~~

Location: Soho Lounge (217 E 6th St)
Bands: Justin Rutledge, Melissa McLelland, Luke Ducet
**Six Shooter Show**

~~~

Location: Spill (212 E. 6th St)
Bands: Black Eyed Dog, Joe Purdy

~~~

Location: The Velveeta Room (521 E 6th St)
Bands: Via Tania, Jill Barber

~~~

This is all the shows that SXSW advertise on their schedule, so without going into PR emails and blogger house shows I am already full up with options and an impossible way to see them all in one night.  Oh, the decisions if I were in Texas tonight….instead I am here at work, sitting here, just…working.

“Workin For The Weakend” – Brian Borcherdt, Torches (the Ward Colorado demos)
(Download and Visit)

~Smansmith

I have to admit I am not that adventurous and also listen to a bit of a niche style of music.  So this would lend to not getting out as much as one should and connect or even know about the music scene in the city where I live.   Well it took an old school Calgarian returning back to “Cow Town” to bring life into what would be my impression of the Calgary Music Scene.  I admit, I tend to be out of touch….but not as much anymore!

Enter Chris from Culture Bully.  Ya all know it, Culture Bully Music Blog that was based out of Minneapolis for the last 5 years or so.  Pretty much an eternity in music blogger years, but here he is back in Calgary and taking on a task of beginning a collection of Calgary music hubs, artists, labels, blogs, magazines and whatever he can get his hands on.  I say kudos to him and for giving me (and hopefully the rest of you locals in YYCers) a place to check for info on what is happening.  This is a project and collection of web-pages that will essentially be a living document of who, what and where.  Want to know the MySpace page of a local artist…done.

Want to know if they have their own website…done.  Are they on twitter???   Done.  I also know that he is taking input to grow this database, so if you are local and you are “in the know”, why don’t ya help a brother out and give him a holler?  If you already are running a portal to all things Calgary – maybe touch base to share the knowledge or even just to say “hi”.  Hopefully we can grow what we have here in Wildrose Country (ouch…I know it’s cliche, but I had to).

Visit all things Calgary at

There you have it, something local for a change around here!  So in good faith and theme of this post, find a couple of tracks from Calgary’s own fringe electro-folk maven Chad VanGaalen to busy yourself with.

“City of Electric Light”
“Subterranean City Roots (CBC Radio 3 Session)”
Visit Chad VanGaalen at Flemish Eye

~Smansmith

Two sides of the same coin. Six of one, half dozen of the other. You know what I am getting at, two versions of one artist’s music. For fans, it can be both genre “eye-opening” such as this one might be or create a polarization of those that have give someone a sound they are most comfortable with.

Okay, let’s just get it out there that I am a “folkie”, so this post is a reference to Withered Hand releasing a “dance” remix of “Love in the Time Ecstasy” so I might be biased. Regardless, for some it is just more output from an artist and if they are a fan, this is often a good thing. For others, when artists experiment (or hell, this example could be the real Withered Hand, I wouldn’t know) they feel almost betrayed as it isn’t the artist they thought they knew. This post is a scenario of essentially a fringe folk type releasing a pseudo dance track. This probably would never, ever, ever have happened prior to the “mash up/remix” craze that affects the music scene today, but we can’t reverse the evolution of music now can we? So where to we stand? Let’s take a listen shall we.

Withered Hand
“Love in the Time Ecstacy (Swimmer One Remix)“ (mp3)
from “No Cigarettes”
(SL Records)

More On This Album

~~

Withered Hand
“No Cigarettes” (mp3)
from “You’re Not Alone”
(SL Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album
~~

Just so we are clear, the above two songs are now together on this new single release as “No Cigarettes” is re-released from You’re Not Alone as the b-side to the remix. So? Do you feel like this is an evolution of an artist, a side diversion of an artist or simply something he did one day and thought it turned out pretty good (or the re-mixers did a good job and he thought it was worthy)? I obviously like the old school Withered Hand, but that is no surprise due to my limited tunnel vision (is that an oxymoron?). I don’t think the SL Records remix is bad, but it feels like something Bronski Beat would have released in the early 80s. Maybe it is another option to get more notice for Withered Hand…not a bad thing, but is it necessary?

What do you think?

~Smansmith

Kinda been a hectic last bit with the various world events, personal events and upcoming events.  What is it of which I speak?  Well, glad you asked.

How about those Olympics?  Pretty sweet in my opinion, but I tend to quickly jump on board of sports I would shun in any other forum…I dunno, all of a sudden I am a fiend for biathlon for 2 weeks every 4 years!   I, like a true and proud Canadian, enjoyed the Gold Medal Hockey game this past Sunday and I am even glad it went to overtime for the win.  I hope all you other Canucks had a chance to enjoy a few frosty brews with friends while it happened (I know I did).  Enjoy this bit of Canadian Hockey Classic – Stompin Tom (video & lyrics)!

Just received my tickets for me and the wifey to go see The Tallest Man On Earth when he hits Calgary this May, should be a good show as everyone I know who has seen him live says his shows are excellent.  With his new album The Wild Hunt out in the next couple of months, it should be right on time!  Enjoy “King of Spain” (mp3).

Thinking of hitting the Postdata and Julie Fader show here in Calgary on March 18th.  If you are not totally aware Postdata has a new album which you could say is the perfect blend of Clem Snide and Brian Borcherdt.  This is a very good thing…enjoy “Tobias Grey” (mp3).  Julie Fader is also quite a lovely songstress who’s album “Outside In” was one of the best Canadian Albums last year.  Enjoy “Goodbye Before Hello” (mp3).  You should check out a show if you can (check Hand-Drawn Dracula for dates).

Next week should see the launch of the new Yer Bird Records website that I gone and stolen from the former owner and good friend Morgan.  Make sure you drop by starting Monday, March 8th for a visit to say “hi”.  We will have lots of tracks to download and after that, I will be perilously balancing that act of music blog AND music label owner.  Trying not to push bands that I may have a financial interest in and also trying not to hound those damn music bloggers about giving away mp3s from my bands!!!!  ;-)  Enjoy a song from one of our favourite releases “Cancer and Delirium” from J. Tillman, “When I Light Your Darkened Door” (mp3).

Visit Canadian Hockey
Visit The Tallest Man on Earth
Visit Postdata
Visit Julie Fader
Visit Yer Bird Records

That is about it for now, what’s new with you?

~Smansmith

Bowerbirds “Northern Lights” from matt amato on Vimeo.

“Northern Lights” (mp3) – Bowerbirds, from 2009′s “Upper Air”

So Always a fan of Bowerbirds and this track is great for Hockey Showdown Sunday at the Winter Olympics.  Obviously I am cheering for the Canadians for gold and so let’s hope these “Northern Lights” today shine in a golden hue for our boys on ice today.

Visit Bowerbirds

~Smansmith

TGIS!**

I love Saturdays! (**please note that this post was supposed to go up yesterday, but you know how it goes…Sunday Morning Fever??) It very well could be the best day of the week (most definitely) and that is that, there is no back talk from any of you.  Ya here me…the best day.  I find Saturday great as you get to sleep in and stay up late in the same day with little repercussions due to standard work schedules.  I do apologize to those of you who may in fact work at the “proper” job on weekends, but I am much too set in my ways and much to old to give up my weekends to anything other than being lazy, watching a movie, maybe a beer or two and listening to music.  Seriously what else would a music blogger do…go out to a live concert??  “Now that is crazy!”[...he says as Dan Mangan and Aidan Knight perform at one of our "Technical Institutes/Colleges" this very night...] {EDIT – remember, this was last night due to not posting this yesterday!!}

Well I have a couple of videos that I think you should see.  The first one is from Shelley Miller and is possibly a Sunday Morning live performance of “Walk Away” and it is quite lovely.  I find the track a bluesy, roots tinged folk track that finds itself delicate and gritty at the same time.  Don’t think the flower dress and mostly hushed acoustic guitar is not balanced by the powerful voice and, um…skull planter on the window sill.  I think that just says it all for this Chicago talent.  Find her on MySpace and her Website.

Bonus rip of this great track – “Walk Away” from Shelley Miller

~~
Another video is one of the videos discovered by Craig over at Songs:Illinois this past week and it truly was  a nice find!  There is a whole lot of Sufjan styled acoustics and vocal delivery and now that Sufjan himself is dangling from the ledge of his signature sound as it is, well we have someone to take the torch on that one.  The video’s are a bit DIY and fit the sound in spectacular fashion – you can find a download of the song “Sarah Minor” over on Songs:Illinois – so go get it!

‘Sarah Minor’ from Keaton Henson on Vimeo.

~~

So something I thought was funny, I received the PR email about Midlake like many bloggers did – but I noticed it was all just “look at Midlake, they are good…honest, you have to believe us!”.  I presume it came out due to the negative review on Pitchfork, which I think is a bit weak – the album is pretty good, so it should not have to have any knee jerk due to a jerk at PF (see what I did there?).  I think the album is quite nice and as a laid back fan – I like it but I am not going to die on that hill if you know what I mean.  Just thought it was funny, never mind the backlash on various social media sites due to this “mis-step” by Pitchfork.  I think the review was gone about the wrong way but isn’t completely off the mark – they just came up with a verdict that you are not allowed to have your own sound…is it soo wrong to sound like yourself?  Anyway.

Another thing that both made me happy and made me a bit proud (by proxy) is getting a PR email about The Deep Dark Woods releasing their track “Charlie’s (Coming Down)” on 7″ vinyl.  What you say?  Yes, the track that (as far as I know) was only available via the HearYa music blog…until now!  The song was an entry for CBC’s Great Canadian Song Quest and was the Saskatchewan contender about the Good Time Charlie’s bar in Regina.  Well, it won (of course) and they are releasing it officially with two shows in their home province (March 5th – Saskatoon, SK @ Louis Pub & March 6th – Regina, SK @ The Exchange – both with The Sumner Brothers joining in!!).  Highly recommended if you are available to get there.  This all made me happy for the great track and proud as a blogger showing that they can influence the greater good – way to go HearYa in assisting in getting the song released!  Watch and listen to the great HY session HERE and find that winning track HERE.

Bonus DDW:  “The Gallows (CBC Radio 2)”
“Winter Hours (CBC Radio 2)”

~Smansmith

So I am driving to work this morning and my 1st gen iPhone is now my “car stereo” and while on some form of random and I start to get a bit of a beat.  I sit there in traffic dumbfounded and wondering what has happened?  Has some DJ hacked my home network and placed music that is over 60bpm into my iTunes library?  Even worse, did somebody say “mash up”?  I immediately decided to beef up my encryption of my wireless network key at home….

Okay, so all jest aside, it was some Justice remix that came on and I didn’t press forward.  I know what you are saying here “…but Sandy, where is the acoustic guitar and an ‘in the gutter’ Texan troubadour?”.  Well friends, those folks are nowhere in sight today – its Monday and I need a pick me up.

The pick me up is from TOR who you may remember from his Sufjan Stevens mix-tape adventure (see my post here).  This time it is only a single track and it is Final Fantasy vs. Q-tip, and I am not afraid to say that it really works and I have been listening to it a lot since receiving it a few weeks back.  All I can say is take a listen and enjoy your Monday!

“The CN Tower can work it out (Final Fantasy f. Q-Tip)” – TOR

Visit TOR on his website here for more samples of his mix mastery – HERE.

~Smansmith

So I am building the new Yer Bird Records website (hey, did you know I am mid-way through a transition to take over my own record label? Well now you do…) and when building a page for the great Matt Arbogast, The Gunshy, I found the above photo. Its a great photo in general (from Mr. Ryan Hendrix) but really look at it…it turns out it is absolutely fantastic. Just the negative space (is that what it is?) all around him and with just the surfaces reflecting a lone spotlight. Wow.

I start to absorb the photo and then I have to listen to some Gunshy. Have to. Arbogast’s “early morning after a late, late, late night” voice is (to many) his signature – but don’t let it distract you from the songs themselves, there is soo much there. So I start playing a couple of tracks and one of the tracks that hit me was the title track to his 2004 EP “What Will They Speak of You When You’re Gone?”. The song has everything and also gives you everything. It literally “leaves it all out there” – it is hushed, it is angry, it is pensive and it is gut wrenching. I know I tend to be a bit wishy-washy as some say about liking “singer-songwriters” but Matt Arbogast bleeds for you. The song is tragic, and so incredibly encompassing that it must be heard. You must listen. Even when the monitor turns on and you hear the hum at 3:20 of the track, it still fits – like everything else in the song, it is just supposed to be there and fits what I needed today.

Just thought you needed to hear it.

“What Will They Speak of You When You’re Gone?” – The Gunshy

Visit The Gunshy and Pick up a copy:

~Smansmith

Many bands have a shelf life because let’s face it, often musical tastes change as you age.  There are also factors such as mood, location, social circles that tend to influence the music you are listening to and again let’s face it, all music is not meant for all situations.

That is unless you are a fan of The Mountain Goats such as I.  I will always like listening to The Mountain Goats and let’s face it (where am I going with these “let’s face its”?) there are great albums and just really good albums.  I am partial to Tallahassee, The Sunset Tree, All Hail West Texas and We Shall All Be Healed among the massive amounts of releases by John Darnielle and crew.  Sometimes you just need to listen to the lyrics, feel the delicate delivery followed by spittle flying angst the next.  Truly an independent music icon if ever there was one.

Another reason:

~~~
So that is about it.

Oh, and enjoy a pseudo “unreleased” duo of tracks that were found on their website a few years back that are both absolute great tracks.

“Cut Off Their Thumbs”
“Deserters”

~Smansmith

While I am not totally against the weather this time of year, I actually like the fact that we get seasons (I mean REALLY get seasons) and ultimately I think this time of year needs some sort of snow to truly feel festive, etc.  Although, we always picture this:

We tend to really get this:

Well, I wish you all the best this New Year’s Eve and remember on a night like this, the only place you should get crazy is the dancefloor.

One last thing that actually relates to music is a nice little juxtaposition of what I have kind of been talking about.  A video of the bearded one, William Fitzsimmons playing a bit of a seasonal ditty: “Covered In Snow”.  All while there seems to not be any snow around.  Still a good song from one of the best hushed indie singer songwriters around today.  See you all next year!

Bonus track: “You Can’t Hurt Me” from William Fitzsimmons {Visit Him}

~Smansmith

I thought I would try to break down what I listened to this year for songs that more or less came out in 2009.  What I am saying is some songs will have been released in 2009, some will have been live or bootlegs in 2009, some will have been re-released and some were demos for upcoming 2010 albums.  But let’s be clear, these all came to me in 2009, were basically recorded/released in 2009 and were listened to in 2009.   This is also from my iTunes library and is NOT doctored in any way to try and justify any “best of list” I made or an attempt to put enough hip bands to seem cooler than I am (I’m not that cool).

You will notice some albums seem to get a lot of plays and it might be they were top of my list and I simply pressed play before sorting so they simply got played more.  I sort my library from “date added” so if I got your album and nothing else fairly close, you got a lot of listens – this doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, but might reveal why some artists got heavy listens while not technically making my #1 album of the year, etc.  This also doesn’t include what I would listen to at work but does include most commute plays as my iPod should update my number of plays once I reconnect to my computer.  **If anyone knows a Last.fm script that you can manipulate by year, let me know!**

So here is the list, no mp3 links for them, it is more about seeing what somebody *really* listens to as opposed to what they say they listen to.  I think I stole this idea from Tart at Love Shack, Baby as she did something like this recently (see here).

My most listened to tracks of the year from the year and of the year!

1. I Shall Cross This River / The Black Atlantic / Reverence for Fallen Trees
2. Dirty Water / Doby Watson / Twenty Two
3. Twenty Two / Doby Watson / Twenty Two
4. Reverence for Fallen Trees / The Black Atlantic / Reverence for Fallen Trees
5. In The Drugs (Low Cover) / J. Tillman / unreleased
6. He Rode Off / Huck Notari / Very Long Dream
7. If I Had a Boat (mix 56) / James Vincent McMorrow / demo, “Early In The Morning” due 2010
8. Ruby And Lou / Richmond Fontaine / We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River
9. This Old House / Matt Epp / Safe Or Free
10. Selfish Guns / The Wheat Pool / Hauntario
11. Goodbye My Love, Goodbye / Haruko / Wild Geese
12. Northeast Kingdom / Sarah Winchester / The Northeast Kingdom Demos
13. Dance On My Skin / Mi And L’au / Good Morning Jokers
14. A Resignation / concept: bravery / The Trouble With Pretending
15. Harmless Sparks / David Bazan / Curse Your Branches
16. Colors Of Sun / Doby Watson / Doby Watson
17. Idaho / Gregory Alan Isakov / This Empty Northern Hemisphere
18. Going Home / The Maldives / Listen To The Thunder
19. William Henry Miller Pt.1 / Meursault / Nothing Broke EP
20. Raft / Sarah Winchester / The Northeast Kingdom Demos
21. Walked-on Wood / The Black Atlantic / Reverence for Fallen Trees
22. Age Of Man / J. Tillman / Year In The Kingdom
23. Speak With The Dead / White Pines / A Face Made of Wood EP
24. Pummel / Doby Watson / Twenty Two
25. Belated Promise Ring / Iron & Wine / Around The Well
26. Wild Honey (demo) / J. Tillman / final version found on the 7″ single “Wild Honey Never Stolen”
27. Up In The Building / Mi And L’au / Good Morning Jokers
28. Words Mean More / Gregory Alan Isakov / This Empty Northern Hemisphere
29. Old Black Dodge / Sean Rowe / Magic
30. Howling Light / J. Tillman / Year In The Kingdom
31. There Is No Good In Me / J. Tillman / Year In The Kingdom
32. Marked In The Valley / J. Tillman / Year In The Kingdom
33. Miss Me / Joe Purdy / Last Clock On The Wall
34. Emerging / The Mountain Goats & John Vanderslice / Moon Colony Bloodbath
35. Proximity / Oweihops / Viburnum
36. Funeral Song / Laura Gibson / Beasts Of Seasons
37. Can’t Know / The Weather Station / The Line
38. My Proud Mountains / J. Tillman / Introducing Townes Van Zandt Via The Great Unknown
39. Follow You Down To The Red Oak Tree / James Vincent McMorrow / Early In The Morning
40. All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast / Bill Callahan / Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

~~~

Well that was 2009 – so I wonder what will dominate next year…my iTunes awaits.  Till then, have a few “yearly” tracks to ponder.

“This Year” – Lanterns on the Lake
“The Lost Year” – Andrew Rose Gregory
“A New Year (Song for Ryan)” – Sam Lowry
“New Years (Third Floor Session)” – Ohbijou

~Smansmith

For me, its usually not too bad as I don’t really take the “holidays” too seriously and now that I am getting a bit older (I said “a bit older” folks) it is less about opening gifts and frolicking in the snow but more about time away from work, drinks and some alone time.  Alone time?  Yes, I am in fact an only child and from a single parent family and I have no children of my own.  Poor me, right?  I don’t know.  Maybe because I was brought up in this scenario that crowds and huge family get togethers seem out of place for me.  If it gives you an idea, my December 25th morning will be me, my wife and my mom who has flown into Calgary for the holidays and my two dogs.  That’s it.  Sure we are heading out to the wifey’s family in the afternoon as there is actually family on her side, but I think maybe it is the quiet times of the holidays that I really like and look forward to.  That and making excuses to buy something excessive for myself because honestly the holidays are not too difficult for me – but one still needs to be rewarded for making it through this time of year!  Yeah, I like that last part about the excessive purchases…yeah…

QUESTION(s):  So, anyone with horror stories or is it all okay for you all?  Did you want to post it in the comments?  Is this a family time of year for you all?  Is this just time away from school/work/hometown and if not is it still something that you look forward to?

Well, for some of you it might not seem as easy as I have made my holidays sound, so my advice is to breathe deeply, slip away every now and then and just think that it will all be over soon.
For you: “The End’s Not Near (New Year Cover)” from Band of Horses.

And if you are into this time of year, I applaud you as you just may be a better person than I.  So for you, how about something a bit more in the season – try a nice little original from previous Slowcoustical
For you:  “Still, Still, Still” from “Land of Leland” (see a previous mention).

Happy “whatever it is you want it to be this time of year” to you all from Slowcoustic.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Maybe the breeze I am thinking of is the breeze of the ocean off the coast of Mexico that I will be seeing in a week…  I said my holidays are not stressful, right?

So I am just starting my vinyl collection as I started it prior to actually picking up a new (media station friendly) turntable.  Well, actually the wife bought me one that I can rip directly to my iTunes, so it sits next to my computer and doesn’t enjoy the front and centre location it deserves.  I mention this as I am just starting to purchase more and more vinyl, usually ordering 1 a week or so.  This might not sound like much, but I am not necessarily collecting all the great albums of the past that every collector feels they require when beginning.   I am also not going to get started on sound quality and “hipster quotient” scenarios involved – lets just leave it at the fact that I still buy physical media.  I am just looking for a good to great record that needs a new home with a few good friends.

Just last night I received the 7″ limited vinyl (#288 of 300, thank you very much) of Elephant Micah’s “In Midnight / Ocean Floor” which came on the heels of the freshly pressed limited vinyl (#93 of 160, if you have to ask) of Elephant Micah’s “Exiled Magicians” that arrived last weekend.  All this came after my copy of J. Tillman’s “Year In The Kingdom” arrived 2 weeks ago, and just after I pre-ordered the new 7″ Tillman release from Western Vinyl.  Well, that is the last 3 weeks and I am at a loss of what will be next.  I am looking for suggestions from you fellow bloggers and readers of Slowcoustic – you come here for the same music, so what are you buying and what should I be buying?  I don’t want anyone to start recommending 12 LP box sets as albums alone can be up to $30.00 with delivery to my door!

So the task at hand is for you to post in the comments of what should be my next purchase!   I have an idea on one already, but I need to have a bit of a push to take the plunge to the old paypal account.  Just a few last words of advice, do not recommend an aging rocker gone soft or young folkster gone rock.  And for all that is holy, please no Lady Ga Ga suggestions either.

“In Midnight”
“Ocean Floor”
~Taken from Elephant Micah’s In Midnight/Ocean Floor 7″
(the digital download is available free on his website, among many others)

Visit Elephant Micah on his website HERE to order a copy of the vinyl (if they are any left) and pick up more available mp3s.

Visit Western Vinyl for a “pre-order” of the new J. Tillman 7″ vinyl by clicking HERE.

~Smansmith

Well class, I wanted to put a quick post on what is happening around Slowcoustic HQ – just looking to keep you all in the loop, we’re a team after all.

Hopefully you all are finding it okay to get to the site lately, my host has been a bit erratic on the up-time in the last couple of weeks, I am looking into it and may be moving hosts to ensure more quality sad bastard music making it through the “big pipe” to your very keen ears.  So basically I apologize if any of you were looking to make it over here to pick up a tune or two and were given a strong left upon trying to negotiate to the site.

~~~

Just getting ready to send out the info to my fellow bloggers for the “Best of 2009″ series set to take place in December, hopefully Dec. 7-22 on weekdays only.  If any of you were around last year, what I do is invite fellow music bloggers to do a feature blog post on something that they think was pretty darn neat-o this past year.  The list can be just about anything: best album, best live band, best album cover and best make out album…almost anything!  The side bar to the right of this post (your right, not mine…wait…) you will see a block of images that represent the various sites that are taking place.  So stick around, you may find something that you don’t normally see on this blog and you just might like it!

~~~

I have been listening to some pretty good tunes lately and hope to get a lot of features upcoming – recent albums I really like and I think you should check out include Frank Schweikhardt, Heather Woods Broderick (yes that Broderick), The White Buffalo with a recent discovery of JBM via his Daytrotter session.  On repeat around here is that Isbells album and those Borcherdt demos and the amazing new EP from Hezekiah Jones (see Herohill’s post on it).

~~~

Also, because I know you all can’t go without a fix (myself included) – how about some lo-fi recordings??  Well this will hit the spot – Andy Berkhout has released a new EP called “Songs on Tape”.  It is aptly named as it was recorded on an actual tape recorder and is a great EP for you lo-fi singer songwriter admirers, which I assume should be a fair share of you readers.  The EP is classic guy with a guitar – its an intimate collection of bedroom folk pop that will have you humming and looking for more.  More you say?  Well he has another EP “In The Light” on his website that is available for a free download.  A free download you say?  Yes, both EPs are available for absolutely nothing – definitely a great option to pick up some solid tunes at rock bottom prices (but don’t forget about his new full length for purchase).

“Feel You Now”
“Just To Say”
taken from “Songs on Tape” EP

Visit and Purchase Andy:

~Smansmith

So…this acoustic spam I put in the title of this post.  In a recent Elbo.ws blogger forum there was a post that included a magnificent acoustic video from Meursault (a personal favourite around Slowcoustic HQ) and I had to re-post it here.  I don’t know how this particular thread went from public relation emails to remixes to spam, but sometimes ramblings in an online community forum can be good for something.  Good for finding some damn fine acoustic spam!

Meursault – Crank Resolutions (In the Toad Van after too much wine.) from Song, by Toad on Vimeo.

Bonus – “A Small Stretch of Land” from 2008′s “Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues”

Visit Meursault & Song, by Toad Records

~Smansmith

I don’t really have any music today, I have been a bit out of the loop the last couple of days.  I will be back by tomorrow hopefully, so I leave you with the above “toy” to amuse yourself until my return.

~Sman

P.S.  Stolen from [dothedaft.com]

la·zy (la zee)
adj. la·zi·er, la·zi·est

1. Slow-moving; sluggish.

2. Conducive to idleness or indolence.
3. Depicted as reclining or lying on its side.
4. Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.

I have been very lazy lately – the weather is changing, trying to get into the new job and finding less and less time to blog.  This is a sad state friends!  I still listen to music, but simply have not been writing about too much of it.  I have been falling back into my favourites and listening to playlists via commute to and from work each day (what else am I supposed to do with those 3 hours in traffic?).  So I have been listening a lot to The Black Atlantic, Mumford & Sons, Laura Gibson, Matt Dill, Doby Watson and even The Cure!  So its been great just listening to music again.  Well enough of my boring and lazy shite, let’s look at others around my circle-o-bloggers who are posting great stuff.

Newcomer into the fray, and someone after my own heart – online bud “Orange” has started a Slowcore meets Folk music blog.  It’s Called Common Folk Meadow and its great!  Visit for some great tunes – notably the Haruko live and the Emilie Lund EPs, both of which are free!

Song, by Toad has the Mumford & Sons Video for “White Blank Page” HERE.  This track has been around for soo long and I am glad everyone is on board – this M&S album is frickin’ stellar and comes very highly recommended.  The Toad also was broadcasting a live show from Toad Headquarters (his home) – very cool.  I think I need a house party at my place…I could call it Folk the Cul-de-Sac or something!!

Did you all check out the extensive and overly long interview (HA, just kidding Tart) that Love Shack, Baby has with the Antlers?  For shame, check it HERE.  You Chicago-ians (and everyone else) need to bookmark – Tart is in touch with the scene friends.

Captain Obvious has his September Mixtape posted – if you follow them, you need to pick it up as it is full of talent such as; Miles Benjamin Robinson, Dan Mangan, Port O’Brien and more.   Visit HERE for the 14 (!) tracks.

Aquarium Drunkard posted an August performance of J. Tillman in Sacramento.  You can really find the new Tillman persona with full band, then stripped down sound – the guy is great.  Visit HERE for the show.

My East Coasters, Herohill posted on the new OX album “Burnout” – also loving it over in the West….  Visit “the rock” HERE for the low down.

I also received the “new” EP from The Rest called Walk on Water, a Canadian post-indie-rock outfit out of Hamilton, Ontario.  The EP is not exactly “Slowcoustic” but definitely epic and more than worth a listen.  There are shades of Arcade Fire with title track “Walk on Water”, the beautiful and powerful “The Close Western” in which I feel I need a pair of headphones while I sprint into the dusk, it just makes me want to move!  You can also slow it down with the late night pain of “Drinking” and the EP even has a cover of Robyn’s “With Every Heartbeat”.  WOW.

The band is now signed to SIC records and if you haven’t heard their sophomore full length, definitely pick up “Everyone All At Once” for more from The Rest.  This has been a band to watch for at least a year now and I hope to see what is upcoming for this troupe.  If you are in the London, UK area you can even check out a few shows in the next couple of weeks – dates on their MySpace page.  Enjoy a couple of tracks below!

“With Every Heartbeat (Robyn Cover)” – The Rest – Walk on Water EP
“Drinking” – The Rest – Walk on Water EP
“Modern Time Travel (Necessities)” – The Rest – Everything All At Once LP

Visit The Rest:

~Smansmith

What’s happening?  Well if anyone follows me or even knows me they will know that I have shed the shackles of corporate world in favour of the private sector – regardless if it is a job that I am not really qualified for, but that is a story for another time.  So I thought I would put a bit of a rant/theme post in order to shed the milk-toast cubicle world once and for all.  I am not really a malcontent – I just play one in real life.

Why do we do the “working for the man” thing?  I know everyone or mostly everyone does this at some point, as let’s be honest, big money hires most of the people if you were to speak in generalities.  It’s atrocious that the math alone for Walmart indicates that essentially 1 in every 300 people you will see in the United States of America are already employed by Walmart (well according to basic math and a wiki search).  I know it isn’t always the same when comparing working for the man versus working in a corporate culture, but essentially they share a lot of synergistic values…oh noes, corporate Sandy creeps in…

Okay, so you work in a company where you are essentially a cog in the machine, where you are in fact a combination of zeros and ones.  Don’t worry it is fine; it is fairly safe, you don’t have as many worries on a daily basis and you are probably paid average amongst almost anyone you know.  Honestly, if you don’t live for your job or ended up in the field that you always wanted to, why wouldn’t you put your 8 hours in and move along to other things in life that do make you happy – for example music blogging!!  So what is the big deal, you ask?  It eats at your very soul and you damn well know it!  Dramatics are my strong suit so take what I say with a large grain of salt and feel free to berate me in the comments.  That aside, one’s “soul” is surprisingly undervalued when discovering that daily your work life is eating at your personality or even your willingness to see/smell/touch the world around you.  That is the rub, you discover that you get a sense of community in your cubicle world and it helps keep you in your place.  One of the main links in the chain that holds you in your shackles is human nature itself.  It’s odd, that as humans we have a ‘basic truth’ that includes the need to be understood, be heard and to be included.  So you get together with the other drones by the photocopier or [insert communal business location] and commiserate about how bad your job is.  You discuss how it is groundhog day again, how traffic was even worse today than yesterday and how co-worker X is a real bitch (again).  And there it is…all of a sudden you feel just a bit better – you met with “your people”, you felt heard, justified for being complacent and even bonded over being resentful to the company that pays your electrical bill that keeps your computer able to post on that childish music blog thing.  AND it keeps you in your place.  Just like a vice, you gain attachment to the “angst”, you are no longer a 15 year old with “fuck the world” angst, but you have grown older and wiser in order to have full on working adult “fuck the establishment” angst.  It makes you feel better (almost superior), you have your crew who feel the same and it makes it easier to work in your 5ft x 5ft piece of industrial grey carpet just that much longer.

No longer my friend.  Light shines from the the very staff of Gandalf the White as he brings hope in the form of his Riders of Rohan to save you from Helm’s Deep (or Sales office, whatever).  Yes, I did just compare corporate industry to the crux of The Two Towers.  No matter what I do, I am always a bit of a geek/jokester – so I guess I was always built for my new life, and I am looking forward to it very much.

So in looking forward to my new life in “Web & Marketing” and the ability to not wear neckties; enjoy a couple of tunes to go along with the vibe of the ramblings above.  Just calling it like I see it, folks.

“Working Poor (HearYa Session)” – Horse Feathers – Check the full session here
“Mourning Worker” – Strand of Oaks, live at the Nave – Check the full session here

~Smansmith

p.s.  I think I just need a beer and to relax a bit, no?

Sorry folks, I missed putting something together for today.  There, there, it’s Friday so it isn’t all bad.

Look over to the right – you can now buy SLOWCOUSTIC shirts!!  I have terrible photos of them but I am working on having stupendously bored attractive people model them…  They are pretty nice and hey, they say you are a purveyor of all things slow and acoustic.  They are nice and subdued and not overly flashy, as that is the way I like it around these parts.  My wife made me order “Ladies” shirts as well as chicks complain about long arms and body in shirts…so we gots both mens and ladies to enjoy.  Hopefully I don’t have to sit on these sons of bitches for years.  The shirts are $20.00 plus $5.00/$8.00 shipping to North America/further than North America (that’s $25.00/$28.00 for those of you who are counting) in good ol’ American dollars.

On a totally unrelated front (but not really), how about a more than a bit disturbing song title that has a slight relation to launching new blog shirts?

“Hairshirt” – Pickering Pick, from the album “On Rocket Rapture” from 2004

~Smansmith

p.s.  Maybe this will work as well:

So just a quick status check on the goings on for yours truly.  I know you are all waiting with baited breath on my daily life.  Come on, don’t you feel like we need a connection?  Whatever, well lets look ahead to what is going on around here.

I am working on a few items and features with:

1. Oweihops‘ new album “Viburnum” will get a review – fantastic album and one of my good online friends, so keep an eye out for it.
2. Working on getting a decent photo of the new Slowcoustic T-shirts (men’s AND ladies thank you very much) that we have for sale for $25 w/shipping in CAN & US – so get you paypal accounts all up to date!  If you see one in New York this weekend, say “hi” to Scott for me.  Holler if you need – we will be having a give away for one, so you could also cheap out and do that as well.
3. My last day as a corporate slag will be next Thursday and then I am off to the private sector doing some web & marketing work. Very excited – screw you suit & tie humps!
4. Still waiting on my iPhone 3GS (I have the 3G regardless) – but Canada has apparently been sold out for the last month…go figure – don’t people get it, shiny things attract attention – must…buy…now…

Well enough of those numbered items, so let’s have some recommendations of listening, visiting, reading and such.

~ Rediscovered the Splice Folk Mix (original versions of traditional folk tunes) that you can pick up HERE by simply getting a splice login, which you should have regardless.  Featured artists include: These United States, Christian Kiefer, Theodore, Deer Tick, Vandaveer, Wye Oak, Phosphorescent and more – 20 artists in total!
~ Knox Road are screening the new Antlers video for “Two” (still like that Hospice album, good stuff) – check it HERE.
~ I agree with Sean over at Battery In Your Leg about not posting “Harry Patch”, drop by and agree with us at BIYL HERE.  By the way, I really like the “flash” of the site, makes me think of a change around here…
~ What was with that Radiohead drama anyway?  Just sayin’
~ Please consider visiting Speed of Dark blog, if for nothing else to show support for one of the good “guys” currently in flux for blogging.  Find a real person behind the blog template HERE.
~ Jeniferever are re-releasing their debut album “Choose a Bright Morning”, so if you like ambient/post rock/shoegaze you will find this a must listen!

Jeniferever
“From Across the Sea” (mp3)
“Alvik” (mp3)
from “Choose a Bright Morning”
(Monotreme Records)

More On This Album

That it for now, enjoy your Thursday.

~Smansmith

So I have been away from posting new stuff (or old stuff for that matter) – due to day to day life getting in the way.  I know, this is no excuse – in a cut throat world of mp3/music blogging this comes as a hollow excuse disguised as a “reason”.  Well, dear blog readers, take this as my olive branch, my most humble of apologies for the fade to black around the blog this past week.

So, what better way to provide a pick-up for the masses?  Well, why not put a bunch of “indie covers” on the blog!!  Come on, everybody loves covers, and as shameless of a post this is, you know you will like some, already have others and secretly wish you had posted the one or two.  Regardless, we have a good week upcoming (if I get around to it) – with some giveaways (CD and shirt) so keep tuned, you never know what you may walk away with…other than the below covers!  Most, if not all, have made there way around the blogs, and at least half have already been on this blog, but here they all are once again, in one convenient post.

Slowcoustic’s Apology in the form of Cover Playlist

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (Wilco Cover) / James Eric & Erin Vogel / Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Covers
Return to Me (Sparklehorse Cover) / Travel by Sea / That Horse Yonder (Sparklehorse Tribute)
Say Say Say (Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson Cover) / Kesang Marstrand / Bodega Rose
Mistaken For Strangers (The National Cover) / Ian McGlynn / Memorial Day Parade – EP
Wicked World (Daniel Johnston cover) / Jay Bennett / Whatever Happened I Apologize
Shankill Butchers (The Decemberists Cover) / Sarah Jarosz / Song Up In Her Head
Hello (Lionel Ritchie Cover) / Blackbird Harmony / Hardwood Exits Demos
Ol’ 55 (Live Tom Waits Cover) / Joe Pug / Live at Schuba’s Tavern 5/1/09
Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath Cover) / Bill Patton / Gets It On
Landlocked Blues (Bright Eyes Cover) / Geri X / Radioactive Drool
Leif Erikson (Interpol Cover) / Lotte Kestner / China Mountain
The Park (Feist Cover) / Bon Iver / Live on JJJ – 01/23/2009
None Of The Above (Weakerthans Cover) / Scott Cooper
Sound and Vision (David Bowie cover) / The Peptides
Come Pick Me Up (Ryan Adams cover) / Josie Little
Woody (Hayden cover) / Winter Makes Sailors

Zip file of the whole playlist

~~~

There you have it, plenty of music to make up for missing 4 days last week!  Let us never speak of this again.

~Smansmith

So yes, it is Canada Day and it is the yearly ritual of a day off from work the celebration of Canada’s birth as a nation.  Let’s rejoice, shall we?

So more and more lately, Canada has been known for great music (especially in certain circles that I frequent in the music blogger world) and ritefully so.  But how well do you know Canada?  I don’t think many of you know too much about the nation of Canada as opposed to it being where half your recent iTunes playlists artists call home.  Lets cover some of the more/less facts of my home country.

1. We don’t believe in paper money under $5.00 – we have ridiculous coins for $1.00 and $2.00 currency.  Just picture our strippers in lesser predominant centres…not pretty.
2. Wayne Gretzky’s “token citizenship” was revoked upon a losing season with the Phoenix Coyotes…tragic, but needed…
3. Due to Montreal’s “acceptance of alternative lifestyles”, the first location of the aptly named “Dairy Queen” was in the province of Quebec!
4. Guinness was first created and brewed in Canada before making the trip “across the pond” as it just wasn’t working out.
5. We are aware of Celebrity, but we don’t make a big deal out of it…what works in L.A. or New York doesn’t work here – so stop it already, you are still just a douche with an entourage.
6. It has now been proven that Toronto, Ontario is in fact the actual centre of Canada (despite its location geographically).
7. Canadians find it perplexing that US (and even Canadian) artists will ignore a Canadian city to travel further and play in a Non-Canadian town that has 1/10th of the population.  Really??
8. Canada has established dominance in the “safety in numbers” musical genre – see: Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Woodpigeon and even Ohbijou.  I, in fact, play a vicious finger cymbal so I may already be in a band…
9. Kiefer Sutherland is NOT Canadian, but his father damn sure is.
10. We actually are fairly nice folks and do like locally brewed beer, the home hockey team and being part of a community…as long as we have HBO to go home to!

Okay not all the above are true, but I will let you figure out what is real.  How ’bout a little bit of a Canuck playlist today?  Support Canadian artists today folks, they will definitely appreciate it and probably take you to a pub to buy you a beer and watch the game if you had time.

“Frank, AB” – The Rural Alberta Advantage – VISIT THEM
“Crooked Things Straight” – Kensington Prairie – VISIT THEM/HER
“Road Regrets” – Dan Mangan – VISIT HIM
“No More” – Julie Doiron – VISIT HER
“Alfred” – Gordie Tentrees – VISIT HIM
“All of November, Most of October” – P:ano – VISIT THEM
“If You Ever” – Løzninger – VISIT HIM
“Here I Am” – Mojave – VISIT THEM

Hope you like the playlist, some good choons in there.  I am not saying this is a penultimate playlist from Canada, but just some good people that need to be heard (or heard more from).  Please do not hesitate to visit the tag “Canadian” on my side categories widget for more great selections from my fair nation.

~Smansmith

When we talk about this day, I was grateful for everything, I thanked you for the well wishes and we had a few beers.  Until tomorrow when it is not my birthday.

“Birthday” from Dewer

~Smansmith

Just sitting around in the “war room” of the internet media distribution centre here at Slowcoustic and was just doing a status check.  I know what you are thinking – “But Sman, this could take years of 3rd party inspections, focus groups, revenue audits…it’s not worth it!”.  Well friends, let’s do it the old fashion way…you know…crawling out of bed, half dressed and hit the computer in the spare room.  Nice – let’s get started.

~~~

• The new logo has been up for a week or so…thoughts?  Too big, too small, just right?  I am also asking as a few people have mentioned that the logo is almost invisible!  How you ask – some browsers are not displaying the lighter strip across the top (the one with clouds and some handwriting) and it is simply all the brown background – which would make a black logo hard to see!  THIS PHOTO is what is should look like.  If it doesn’t look like this to you send me an email to let me know and include your browser type and release – for example Firefox 3.0.1, etc.
• Speaking of logos…I think we are going to make up some stickers and possibly a shirt or two (mostly because I want one), but if you think you would want one – let us know (comments or email).

New Blogroller Alert!!! I have been following some bloggers via twitter and am including a couple more today as they have consistent quality posts, commentary and just are good places to find yourself.  The two included at this point are:

1. Captain’s Dead – Greg finds himself along the indie lines and runs a successful blog with a lot of content and you can rely on solid info.  You can also follow on Twitter – @captainsdead
2. Muzzle of Bees – Ryan is definitely one of the more popular blogs around (not unlike Captains Dead) and for good reason – quality, great info and good taste.  Follow on Twitter – @muzzleofbees

Okay you probably already follow both these blogs, but there are soo many good blogs out there, that honestly my blogroll could get away from me!  I have also picked the above as they are very entertaining via twitter.  Social media works then, doesn’t it class?

Well I will leave you today with a couple of Canadian acts that are included in a project I posted on for You Crazy Dreamers.  The project is “Saved By Saskatoon” and is chock full of great music and surprisingly enough a gratis download as needed.  The two tracks included are a orchestral gothic journey entitled “We Will Be Born Again” from These Hands as well as the gorgeous prairie ballad “My Ghost, Your Ghost” from Pearson.  Enjoy.

~Smansmith

Simon Llewelyn Evans
“Woman at a Mountain” (mp3)
from “draw mountains There”
(Bellsounds)

More On This Album

Don’t even know how I ran across Simon Llewelyn Evans but I am glad I did.  He has a new album as of last week (May 9th, 2009) and I liked the first track (above) and checked him out on MySpace – 218 profile views!  Um, outside of my own seriously lacking profile, rarely do you see such a low number for someone obviously talented enough to make it to this blog…  Okay, all kidding aside, this Australian needs more love.

The lead off track “Woman at a Mountain” is a wandering acoustic track with a bit of easy listening vocals.  It is almost the most relaxing thing I have heard in a long time.  You may feel like you have heard him before as his voice is “that voice”.  This is a guy that Zach Brafffff was looking for when he picked Colin Hay for the soundtrack to Garden State.

That’s all I got today, but come on everyone – head over to the Simon Llewelyn Evans MySpace Page to listen to a few more tracks and be his friend and talk him up a bit.   You might even find his album on iTunes right here if you simply can’t wait after listening above.

~Smansmith

So I haven’t done a “New on the ‘Nets” post in a while, but I did post some recommendations on Thursday already…so, this may be a condensed version.  So in order to fill out the post, a Saturday Playlist is in order!!

Couple of items that I need to recommend:

1. Daytrotter posted their J. Tillman session from SXSW.  Very Nice – go sign up and pick up the 4 tracks!
2. Laundromatinee has their Great Lake Swimmers session posted as well.  Hit them up for some of the video and audio love.
3. The Music Slut has been premiering her Morrissey Covers Album “TMS Hearts Moz”, at the furious pace of one song per day.  Visit daily for more and catch up, she has posted 5 so far!!

Saturday Playlist (part one)*

“Apples Burning” – Princess Mabel (think of a better Sarah Mclaughlin with and indie edge)
“Way Back Down” – Mitch Elrod & CountrySoulHouse (Gothic Alt Country…mmmm)
“Nowhere” – Martha Kronholm (uber mellow songstress)
* All artists from Collar City Records – visit for more from each, including Martha Kronholm’s full EP free!  CCR just might be my new favourite indie label!

Playlist within a playlist (or part two)**

“Flowers on the Stones” – Mark Berube (this one is a cheering section of indie pop)
“Robots” – Dan Mangan (not as folktronica as others, but country folk rock emerges in its place)
“Spring Flower” – The Great Outdoors (toned down honky tonk, but not all the way toned down)
“Dessous Les Paves, La Plage” – Corbin Murdoch And The Nautical Miles (Indie Folk from the west coast – this one changes pace from celtic to southern gothic to almost radio indie – all with horns!)
“C’mon Baby Say Bang Bang” – Jane Vain and The Dark Matter (ethereal folk pop)
“Walk On Boy” – Jim Byrnes (All time classic bluesy folk a la Canada)
“Cabin Song” – T. Nile (Countrified Folk Diva)
“Dreamer” - Jenn Grant (One of Canada’s true young voices, stunning)
“Time To Lose” – The Western States (One of my hometown alt country heroes – GREAT!)

** All Canadian talent from the good folks at Killbeat Music – Visit for a massive amount of artists represented and all include samples as above – absolutely great roster that is chok full of great music.

~Smansmith

1. They will be releasing the next Bowerbirds album “Upper Air” in July
2. They are releasing the new Akron/Family album “Set ‘em Wild, Set ‘em Free” tomorrow – listen to “River” (mp3)
3. They have Matthew Houck on roster, or as you know him, Phosphorescent

Phosphorescent live on KEXP at The Cutting Room Studios NYC from KEXP RADIO on Vimeo.

~Smansmith

Okay, not a Slowcoustic Birthday – we are but youngster in the blog world, but there is a birthday that needs mentioning.  The birthday is actually Friday, April 17th and it is for the lady love of a Slowcoustic Favourite – Samuel Stiles.  You may remember him from the post here, but lets not lose focus.  This is Kara’s day and this is what Samuel has to say.

Happy Birthday Kara!
Now you can finally know what i have been up to all week.
This is your present.
Hope you enjoy….and, sorry…its a little melodramatic!
~Samuel Stiles

I am not sure of the whole story, but I do know a little and the song holds special meaning to the the happy couple.  I for one now need someone to record a song for me…  Regardless, Kara, happy birthday!

~Smansmith

So in thinking to myself the other day, I started to put too much weight behind thinking I was an “indie” music blogger.  I was thinking about the fact that I do consider myself an “indie” blogger more or less, if in fact that term is still relevant this day (for example, when is “indie rock”, just going to be “rock”?).  What I mean is the fine line between simply being indie and enjoying it and being indie with an elitism edge.  I have found myself discovering that I might be an indie elitist.  Being an indie style band isn’t enough, you have to be ultra indie – as in very few people even know of your band at all in order to be independent.  Am I contributing to worthy bands not getting their fair due?

What I am getting at, is that I find myself staying away from artists that become mainstream indie.  Bands that (in blogger circles) might be an “it” band.  “What is all the fuss?” I say, “Why is everyone posting that same song?” I am found uttering to myself.  I think I might on purpose ignore a band that is getting too much blog press in some bastardized version of thinking it is now mainstream, and hence I can’t like it.  There is much talk on this topic over many a forum board, but I think the fact that I am even thinking it, simply makes me guilty.  Oh well, guilty I am – I am an Indie Elitist.  Not that it makes a difference coming from some dude in Canada on his mellow singer songwriter blog…

“Make it up to the bands I don’t cover” Mixtape

“Zero” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
“Pillar of Salt” – The Thermals
“Meddle” – Little Boots
“Get On Your Boots (Justice Mix) – U2
“Cheerleader” – Grizzly Bear
“1901″ – Phoenix
“Daniel” – Bat For Lashes
“Miss It So Much” – Royksopp

*I just couldn’t bring myself to put Kanye on…I mean I don’t mind a bit of Kanye once and a while, but I just couldn’t do it.

So I am having this be my on the road playlist for my weekend (to and from only, not at destination) – and you never know, I just might like most of it – and try not to ignore bands just because of the blog hype.  Honestly I don’t mind the Bat For Lashes and Grizzly Bear already.  The rest can be an okay listen, but maybe just not Slowcoustic enough for this blogger…but can’t I electro-rock out once and a while?

In the end, promoting or discussing music on it’s merits alone is what I am here for right?  …Oh, wait, that and talking about unknown bands that actually need the hype…maybe next week for them.

~Smansmith

Sorry for the no post yesterday, just lost a bit of love for the blog for a day, what can I tell ya?  Well there might be a day or two that gets missed this long weekend as well due to an “over-nighter” with the Mrs. for a couple of nights HERE.  It pays to know people.

Thought I would simply keep you all up to date with some thoughts and few things I have been listening to lately.

First off, things I know:

• ~ The new Manchester Orchestra album “Mean Everything To Nothing” is okay.  Okay, as I think I always want Andy Hull as a band to be more like Andy Hull as his Right Away Great Captain persona.  A touch too much indie rock for me, but still a good listen despite the serious guitar fretwork on some tracks.  Take a quick listen here.

• ~ The Eulogies released their “Here Anonymous” album this week, great indie pop/rock and definitely going to be a great patio soundtrack this summer.  Not unlike my first point above, the new album is a touch more uptempo for the truly Slowcoustic crowd, but to remedy this they featured album tracks in a stripped down version in their “Homespun Sessions” – highly recommended.  Check out some of those “Homespun Sessions” here, here and here.  You can hear more over on My Old Kentucky Blog as well if you should so choose (please choose to do so).

• ~ Some more top EPs so far are both from the Yer Bird Aviary (I know, I keep pushing it, but come on people…) – Tobacco Pat’s 2007 EP “The War” and the 2009 EP from Basket of Figs “Oh Eye, Oh Night” – both are kick ass.  Check out a track from Tobacco Pat below and visit the good folks at Herohill for a post on the new BoF.

“Hallelujah” – Tobacco Pat from 2007′s “The War” EP

• ~ Bands/Artists I will be posting on but want to do it right and will hopefully get them out soon – The Woodlands, Cabinet of Natural Curiosities & The Western States – so don’t be afraid to check them out prior as they are all very different, but still all very recommended.

Secondly (besides bands listed above, Joe Purdy & Sarah Winchester) -things I am listening to:

A couple of pretty decent free EPs from Last.fm.

Fort King:  A more traditional quiet singer songwriter collection I discovered by one of my good friends at the German blog “Velourcarpetsforlovers“.  I don’t know why the Germans just get it, but they do.  The two songs below are from “Balsamic Moon” that you can find for download here.

“To The Moon” – Fort King
“House Finch” – Fort King

James Moore Music:  Similar to the above in the quiet singer songwriter arena, but more 60′s era Americana influenced.  Some pretty powerful stuff, and very much worth a spin if you have the time, so make some time.  Find the self released tracks here.

“Crows” – James Moore Music
“I Know It Was Hard For You” – James Moore Music

That is all I got right now, hopefully I can power up my old laptop in order to be able to blog via the Rocky Mountains this weekend…wish me luck!

~Smansmith

Just getting into the new Bill Callahan album “Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle” which is due on April 14th through Drag City.  While it is definitely Bill, it is a new Bill Callahan – He might have soared like said eagle and just maybe moved on from the classic Smog sound.   Okay, he isn’t straying too drastically, but I mean Smog from the 1990′s and early 2000′s.  I am a big fan of various older albums, with “A Doctor Came At Dawn” and “Knock, Knock” from the 90′s being favourites and “A River Ain’t too Much Too Love”, “Supper” from the 00′s coming in a close 3rd and 4th. Sorry I just thought you all should know…you must listen to Smog PRIOR to listening to the new Bill Callahan.   I know he has not really been Smog for a few years now, and “Woke on a Whale Heart” got pretty good press, but I found it a transition type album for me. Good but not great.

However, the new album does show huge potential with tracks such as “All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast” showing a modern day Callahan excelling in true form.  While obviously there is much more production value on newer releases, you can still feel that baritone reverberate in your very soul when he begins his stories.  I say “stories” as I find him a storyteller as opposed to a singer/songwriter – he tends to harmonize his talking voice as his signature delivery – the man doesn’t “sing” he “performs”.  Well, I am going to always pine for “All Your Women Things” or “You Moved In” and “Spread Your Bloody Wings” and even “Four Hearts in a Can” from 1996′s “A Doctor Came At Dawn” – so listen to a few Smog albums (if you haven’t already) before sinking into the new Bill Callahan, it will make all the difference.

On that note, the great video above is for “I Break Horses” and in turn I have included a nice live performance from Buenos Aires last September for the very same track.  Stunning.

~Smansmith

p.s.  You can check out the lead off track, “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” from Bill Callahan’s New album right here on Slowcoustic on a Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy post from last week – click here!

image from gapingvoid: “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards” (read it)

I have been adding a few more blogs to my ever growing Slowcoustic Blogroll lately.  I have come to think the more one gets out and visits other blogs/websites, your world just gets that much bigger (as opposed to the common misconception of it becoming smaller).  I have been victim of living in a bubble at times, and more and more there is just good stuff in the blogger community.  Don’t get me wrong it is not a perfect world, some blogs are ass, but some are full of great music, commentary and people.

I mean in the new world of “online” friends what is to say that you don’t connect more with someone you never physically meet versus the person in the next cubicle.  One of the greatest things in my short time of blogging is getting an email from Linda over at Speed of Dark and her ideas of community and what one could (and should) expect from each other (even if only in the blogger community…for now).  Bloggers will save the world one day, you just wait…or was that Obama…I know if was one of the two.

Okay long lead in to a simple task of adding in a few of the good guys, but you know what I am getting at right?  Starting out – new blog to me “Knox Road” is on as I found myself reading a post, making a comment….then reading another post, making a comment…this is a good sign.  There is a bit of everything indie alongside a good read.  Joining in with the former East Coast USA blog, I give you “Happy Days Are Here Again” who is another one of my Italian friends.  HDAHA – who’s blog at times could be my “sister blog” with similar taste in music, this is a good thing, no?  Also, don’t be afraid, it is in Italian but worth translating!

So yeah, check ‘em out, ya hear.

~Smansmith

So just cleaning up my desktop.  I tend to find songs, take a listen, then know I am going to like it and simply download to my desktop.  I tend to leave soo many tracks on my desktop that I miss actually listening to them!  So here we have some tracks that haven’t made it into an “organized folder” in order to arrange in perfect harmony (no pun intended) with my music library.  I have included a selection for you to see if we are on the same page, but some were removed due to thinking they aren’t really approved to post for some reason.  At least I think I removed those ones, I tend to forget where I get songs when zig zagging across the web – so if I have stolen something from you, I apologize – and let me know, so I can remove or give you props!

The tracks range mostly in the realm of singer songwriter, folk, indie, slowcore in style, but all caught my ear while browsing artist pages, forums, last.fm, etc.  Some are older than others, some are covers and most (if not all) are readily available online already, but see how they are conveniently packaged in one post like this….selfless I am…selfless.

~“Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath Cover)” – Bill Patton …{Visit}
~“It Ain’t Me Babe” – A White Antelope …{Visit}
~“This Time It Will” – Jeff Hanson …{Visit}
~“The Hero is a Graduate” – Mumblin’ Deaf Ro …{Visit on Indiecater}
~“Mine is a Light (demo) – Hello, Broken Arrow …{Visit} – now that I look, I think I stole this from “Song, By Toad“!!!  I’m gonna get it for this one…
~“Diminished Returns (RAC mix)” – Magnolia Summer …{Visit}
~“Future Ghost” – Hinterland …{Visit}
~“Chaff Dust Sand Snow” – Pearson …{Visit} – Thanks Herohill!
~“Stray Age” – Daniel Martin Moore …{Visit}

~Smansmith

p.s.  I will aim to show my inner nerd here, but did anyone else find the end of BG last night a bit wanting?

I think the title of this post says it all.  I just might be a bit jealous of all the great times, artists, shows that are going to be happening this week in Austin.  Well, I am not there, and if you are, I hope you have a great time with many of my heroes and fellow bloggers.

So it is just Tuesday Morning for me.  Just another Tuesday morning.  Just the Tuesday prior to the official start of SXSW.  So to commemorate this non St. Patrick’s day moment:

Aaron Espe – “Tuesday Morning” from 2008′s “Songs from a Small Town”

Visit Aaron Espe on his website or pick up a copy of the stellar “Songs from a Small Town” on CD Baby.  You might also remember Aaron as we had the Top of 2008 by the You Crazy Dreamers Blog which featured this album at # 9 for last year!  Visit that post here for the coverage and another track to sample.

~Smansmith

p.s.  I’m off to drink away my jealousy.  Green with envy…no, green due to the food colouring in the pints!

This is all tongue in cheek, but take a listen to the two clips below – I have not tagged them with the artist so you can’t tell what it is (or you can easily tell).  One clip from and album released over 20 years ago, and one from an album released, well…not even released yet!

Too. F’n. Funny.

~Smansmith

p.s.  I am not going to spoil it, if anyone wants to actually say who each is, can do so in the comments – if you must.  Still funny though.

Sorry, I am not available for blogging today.  Under the weather (Blog Flu – kinda like the real flu and causes a slow movement and yearning to do nothing) and will start posting soon – so not exactly a real “full” post today.  Do not fret, still great music to listen to…sheesh, I not that lame.  Will Stratton’s new album will be out in June this year.  Teaser below.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Frickin’ loved Will’s “What The Night Said” album from 2007.  One of the best of the 2007 fo sho – check it at Stunning Models on Display.

Upcoming on April 21st, 2009 – Badman Recording Company is releasing the next album from Weinland called “Breaks In The Sun”.  If you are familiar with Weinland, you will know it will be an album of rich textrure and at times ethereal acoustic melodies.  Believe me, it is that good.  If by chance you find that all your taste is not just in your mouth, you will have the urge to pick up the album upon release.

Band Synopsis:

Beginning as a bedroom recording project in 2001 under the name John Weinland, the band turned into a full-fledged act in 2005 and as a natural evolution, dropped the name John to simply be referred to as WEINLAND. This music bears the heart of Neil Young, the thoughtfulness of Nick Drake and the beautiful sorrow of Elliott Smith. Weinland’s music stems from a myriad of experiences and by employing an arsenal of musicians to include Aaron “Rantz” Pomerantz (dobro, mandolin, bells, pedal steel, accordion, lap steel, etc), Rory Brown (bass), Ian Lyles (drums, banjo) and Paul Christensen (piano, keyboards) they assist in creating the signature lush and haunting WEINLAND sound.

While the previous album “La Lamentor” was very much acclaimed, the new album at times slips into a more empty location, it seems even more atmospheric while still retaining a “band” sound.  What I mean is that you can still tell this is not one guy sitting and recording (not always a bad thing) – but you have the depth of musicians creating and growing a sound.  There is more indie-folk songs like “Hardly Worth Saving” to the stellar “Sunken Eyes” and its somber cadence.  Not unlike moving from a solo artist to a band, Weinland may just be growing into a sound that this Portland act is most comfortable with.

Enjoy a track from the upcoming album (its a killer) with some previous works from “La Lamentor” below.

“Sunken Eyes” – Weinland – from 2009′s “Breaks In The Sun”

Weinland

“God Here I Come” (mp3)
“Sick As a Gun” (mp3)
“The Devil In Me” (mp3)
from “La Lamentor”
(Badman Recording Co)

More On This Album

Bonus Vimeo performance:

Devil In Me from Kevin Johnston on Vimeo.

Visit Weinland on their Website, MySpace Page and Label Page.

~Smansmith

“Come Saturday” (mp3)
“Young Adult Friction” (mp3)
“Everything with You” (mp3)
from “The Pains of Being Pure at Heart”
(Fortuna POP)

More On This Album

Time will tell if indie power pop will become the defunct Rock & Roll.  Purists may guffaw, but they say the children are our future…

~Smansmith

Just saying, that’s all.  They need to get back together or do a reunion album or admit that they are not still together…sort of.  They have 6 albums with the last one “Set Free” being in ’05 and way too long ago.  Nothing is better than “Punk as Fuck” or “Aaron and Maria” – it is shoegaze indie pop at its best.  So I am not sure if there was news of an “official” disbanding of Amanset, but all I know is Andrew Kenny is now recording as/with “The Wooden Birds” so I am thinking that I might need to just give up hope.

Lament with me, won’t you?

The American Analog Set
“Born On The Cusp” (mp3)
“Immaculate Heart I” (mp3)
from “Set Free”
(Arts & Crafts)

More On This Album

For way out of date information (but a great download for the “Set Free” album demos), visit their Website.  You may even take a look at their MySpace Page if you have time.  Sorry, I couldn’t find more permissions than the tracks above, but pick up an album if you can with “Know by Heart” and “Set Free” being highlights.

~Smansmith

First Corner:  Beirut

“My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille” (mp3)
from “March of the Zapotec & Realpeople: Holland”
(Pompeii Records)

More On This Album

Opposite Corner:  Heartless Bastards

“The Mountain” (mp3)
from “The Mountain”
(Fat Possum Records)

I am undecided at the moment for my song of the week and I had to post on this today.  Today is kinda my “New Album” day as every post today included an album that is being released in January 2009.  Who knew that January is a power album release month!!  Buuuuuut…the battle royale….I don’t know.

→ Beirut has some history on its side (The Flying Club Cup from ’07 was pretty good) but Heartless Bastards is new to me.  Point Beirut?
→ Beirut can get a little too electro at times for me…Heartless Bastards would be considered a bit more Slowcoustic material?  Point Heartless Bastards?
→ Heartless Bastards will be touring in Calgary in a couple of months….point Heartless Bastards?
→ Zach Condon’s voice totally hits the spot for me at times…point Beirut?

I just don’t know, maybe I need to consider songs that are somewhat similar in order to get a better battle with a clear winner.  You decide for me….post in the comments please!!

~Smansmith